happy anniversary Mr. Rosback!

June 1st, 2012 will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the day that one of my long-held artistamp dreams came true.

For years, I’d been on the hunt for a Rosback perforator – the “holy grail” of artistamp makers. Still in business today, the Rosback Company in St. Joseph, Michigan manufactures a range of equipment for binderies: perfect binders, paper drills, saddle stitchers, and yes – perforators.

this would have been my dream job, in 1932…

But my heart was set on one of their “old school” models: something foot operated, manufactured in the 1880’s (or there abouts). I knew other artistamp makers who had their own Rosbacks; they all told me different versions of the same stories: they’d inherited their perforators from other artistamp makers or looked for years to find such a machine, usually in a dusty warehouse or at an auction sale.

a careful observation of all items…

I took to combing Craig’s List at odd hours of the night, using search terms that were only vaguely related to printing equipment. And then one day in May, I received an email. There was a Rosback for sale, closer than I had dared to hope: a barn in Napa! Unbelievable.

a new model…and extra heavy!

More emails sent quickly back and forth — it was decided: I was the proud owner of a Rosback perforator, circa 1888!

That meant making space in the studio:

have I mentioned how much I disliked this part of the process?

And getting things out of the way:

…but somehow, space was acquired.

June 1st : the big day had arrived. “Mr. Rosback” arrived in the neighborhood on the back of a liftgate truck, to the amazement of neighbors. I imagined the truck driving across the Golden Gate Bridge, freeway drivers catching a glimpse of this crazy looking machine and wondering to themselves “what the heck is THAT?!?”

like a parade float, but BETTER!

As it was, people walking past the studio stopped to ask that very question. “It’s a perforator,” I’d reply proudly. “for making postage stamps.” Incredulous, the neighbors wanted to know more, see how such a thing worked.

routine maintenance…

All told, the move was over and done with in a quick 45 minutes. After all the bustle had died down, I spent the rest of the day making friends with my new BFF. That meant disassembling all moving parts, tabletop to under-the-hood. Mr. Rosback was in good shape, but after living in a barn in Napa for well over a decade (or more), he was ready for a good scrubbing and oiling.

the happy couple!

I replaced some of the older perforating pins with nice sharp ones and refinished the work surface using linseed oil (as suggested by Nick Yeager of Biblioforge). Suddenly, the studio smelled like a painter’s atelier – which I loved. I imagined Mr. Rosback settling in to my cozy space, enjoying the garden outside and Oscar Peterson playing on the radio.

artistamp eyecandy…

One year later and we’ve created many stamp sheets together, Mr. Rosback and I. With every artistamp project I pull together, I’m thankful we managed to find each other in the giant wilderness of printing and binding equipment. For my fine perforating friend I say this: happy anniversary to you – and may this be the first of many years to come!

–JH

PS: interested in perforated sheets for your artistamps? Get in touch; I may have just the thing on hand!

So sad that you had to leave it behind! It seems like I’ve heard a few stories like that lately, where artistamp makers or mail artists had to leave their heavy equipment behind, when it came time to move…
Let’s find a new/old Rosbach for you! — maybe there’s one waiting in Florida. 🙂
–JH

Next time you have to move something like that give ol Ang a call, she does know people that can get trucks and such on the down low, no really I just know a guy. I can’t wait to get a trundle machine like that so I to can still do my creating when the lights go out.

Wow, what a beauty and talk about a productive and beautiful partnership!!! Loved taking Mail Art 101 with you yesterday, so much fun and a great group of artists!!! Enjoy your last days in NYC… and, as the song goes—“see you in September” and remember “there is danger in the summer moon” –of the best kind!

I had no idea you had a perforator (despite receiving that sheet of artistamps from you in January – I just assumed you borrowed!). I’m so jealous! Wishing the happiest of first anniversaries to you and Mr. Rosbeck.

Thanks for your comments! One of these days, I hope to do a more in-depth write up of my design process…I’ve also got a short video that shows me perforating a sheet of stamps, but I have yet to edit it and upload it to YouTube. I’ll be sure and let RLD readers know once it’s ready to go!
–JH

Well and truly: I couldn’t have done it without you! To this day, I wish I’d snapped a video of you and GB “sledding” Mr. Rossbach through the garage and into the studio — it’s something that I’ll always remember. Thank you a million times over…
–JH

My way of working changed completely, once Mr. Rosbach came into my life. Now it’s like a dream come true: I can create an artistamp design and walk (walk!) over to my studio to do the perforations…I’m one lucky girl!
–JH

Jennie. Thanks so much for the great class on Sunday. So funny, the one question I did not get to ask you when you mentioned your estate sale was if you ever came across a “perfer.” I didn’t know the brand name, but now, I, too, will be in the hunt. How cool. Happy Anniversary….and thanks again!
Nancy McKay

What a lovely thing to be able to spend Sunday morning making mail art with you! We had a truly fun class, a great group of folks.
Rosbach is one of the main manufacturers of these “old school” perforators; the other company was called Monitor. These are two names to search for, should you ever want to start searching for a perfer of your very own!
–JH

June is a very important postal birthday month now! So happy for you and Mr. R. I hope the relationship is long and fruitful and that Mr. J is not too jealous of all the time you are spending at the studio.

The gent that I purchased Mr. Rosbach from was a paper rep in the ’70’s and ’80’s; his “loop” was the bay area all the way up north to Eureka. When a lot of the print shops closed down in the ’80’s and ’90’s, he bought their inventory and has kept it ever since. So it’s entirely possible that the machine I currently have is a “family member” of someone you know! 🙂
–JH

I was talking to Carl Chew at AARPEX and he told me he had an auxilliary, turn of the century perforator (I assumed Rosbach) that was lying around in pieces at his home for sale. Two weeks later, when I sought after it more earnestly, it was already sold. Ugh! I am, however, redoubling my efforts towards the Rosbach quest. I am certainly delighted to know that once in a while miracles can still happen! I hope your honeymoon with ol’ Rosbach never ends!

After reading “red letter day” I searched for the elusive rosback. I found her and months later, she resides safe and sound in my kitchen. Her life was hard and many parts were replaced but perforation is a thing of beauty .

Any tips you might have to share would be helpful. I have a sweet program for making stamps which allows me to import text, artwork, even photos. Very simple to use.

I have a different guide system on my machine which allows perforation adjustment to the very dot

classes & sightings

Holiday DIY with Jennie Hinchcliff BINDERYDecember 13, 2017 at 6:30 pm – 9:30 pmRegistrations: This class has a minimum enrollment of 3 students. All enrollment will be updated on this document and sent to you via email. Please send all questions to nina@sfcb.org.

Intro to Bookbinding -- PLUS! BINDERYDecember 17, 2017 at 1:00 pm – 5:00 pmRegistrations: This class has a minimum enrollment of 3 students. All enrollment will be updated on this document and sent to you via email. Please send all questions to nina@sfcb.org.

Introduction to Bookbinding with Jennie Hinchcliff BINDERYDecember 29, 2017 at 6:30 pm – 9:30 pmRegistrations: This class has a minimum enrollment of 3 students. All enrollment will be updated on this document and sent to you via email. Please send all questions to nina@sfcb.org.